If you saw the KOMO news report at the end of 2020, you may have seen that students have opportunities for accelerated learning at Renton Prep. Accelerated learning is just one way Renton Prep has continued to push boundaries during the COVID-19 pandemic that shifted the education landscape.
A few of our students were highlighted in these past stories, but there are many more who have accelerated their learning. We want to give praise to 38 students at Renton Prep who are accelerating, even amidst a pandemic.
What Accelerated Learning Offers Students
Accelerated learning isn’t just offered to our students who choose distance learning. All of our students have this option available to them if they desire to move ahead. That being said, many students took the opportunity to advance ahead at their own pace.
The level of advancement solely depends on the student, as such many have either finished a semester of content or the full academic year. We have a group of middle school students who have demonstrated they are ready to take high school course work for the second half of the year in one or more courses. In addition, 12 have elected to take the challenge of taking the first semester of 9th grade English Language Arts.
With platforms such as Red Comet and Florida Virtual School, students are not only learning the subject. They are also developing interdisciplinary skills, self-motivation, and time management.
Student Success Stories with Accelerated Learning
One success story comes from alumni Alan Lai. With Running Start, Alan began taking college-level courses at Renton Prep, then finished high school while dual-enrolled in Bellevue College.
His years at Renton Prep and interacting with technology in the classroom — including a bit of time coding — propelled his interest in a career in tech. Now, Alan is a peer educator for a computer science class at the University of Washington Bothell. At 18 years old, he’s in his senior year of college classes and grading coding projects from students about the same age or older.
“Being around a technology-based environment and even taking a field trip to the Microsoft campus, it just sparked my interest and made me realize this is something I want to do,” Alan said. “Renton Prep definitely help set me up for what’s next.”
Current Student Success Stories
The next success story is Maidon Hull, who is currently an 8th grader but elected to be part of the 9th- and 10th-grade cohort. This means she will be assessed at the same level as those grade levels. The cohort curriculum is designed for college prep and early college entry into Running Start.
She is taking AP Literature and Composition (an 11th grade class), AP US Government and Politics, already finished her first semester of advanced math, and has moved into an adaptive program.
By the time she finishes this school year, Madison will have completed academic content 3-4 years above her same-age peers across the nation.
Other students who have successfully accelerated learning in 2020 are Chloe Culver and Rayna Srinvas, who are working in tandem with a similar curriculum. The two finished their seventh-grade courses in a semester, including math and English, allowing them to advance ahead to 9th-grade level courses. Their standardized tests showed they have demonstrated competency to take 9th-grade level courses next.
Renton Prep Students who Accelerated their Learning
Below you’ll find a list of other students and videos of those who have decided to take the lead on their education with accelerated learning.
Please celebrate their hard work and dedication to get ahead!
Anderson Bird
Kindergarten Technology
Lucia Bird
Grade 4 Technology
Melia Chor
Grade 5 Technology
Grade 5 Language Arts
Zion Hardy-Shoecraft
Grade 5 Technology
Simarjot Khaira
Grade 5 Technology
Grade 5 Mathematics
Elizabeth Werzner
Grade 5 Technology
Gabriella Diaz
Grade 5 Technology
Grade 6 Language Arts (Advanced)
Julia Kwok
Grade 6 Language Arts
Judah Plant
Grade 6 Language Arts
Jade Smith
Grade 6 Language Arts
Alexandra Diaz
Grade 7 Language Arts (Advanced)
Grade 6 Science
Marissa Castro
Grade 7 Science
Matthew Jeon
Grade 7 Mathematics
Amanuel Nega
Grade 7 Mathematics
Chloe Culver
Grade 7 Mathematics
Grade 7 Science
Grade 7 Civics
Grade 7 Language Arts
Rayna Srinvas
Grade 7 Mathematics
Grade 7 Science
Grade 7 Civics
Grade 7 Language Arts
Brian Parker
Grade 7 Language Arts
Algebra 1 Semester 1
Roman Pavone
Grade 7 Mathematics
Henrique Santos
Grade 7 Mathematics
Elizabeth Thompsen
Grade 7 Language Arts
Ashlynn Desomma-Husmann
Grade 8 Language Arts
Samara Cooper
Pre-Algebra Semester 1
Madison Hull
Pre-Algebra Semester 1
Dillon Smith
Pre-Algebra Semester 1
Kento Setoguchi
Pre-Algebra Semester 1
Calvin Zhou
Pre-Algebra Semester 1
Madison Bryant
Entrepreneurship
Ayaka Pier
Algebra 1
Philosophy
Sophia Sta. Rosa
World Religions
Ryan Chiang
Finance Education
Kush Juneja
Geometry Semester 1
Anatomy and Physiology Semester 1: Introduction
Law & Order
AP United States Government and Politics (Full Year)
Krish Juneja
Geometry Semester 1
Anatomy and Physiology Semester 1: Introduction
Law & Order
AP United States Government and Politics (Full Year)
Samuel Lui-Beggs
Sociology I
Anatomy and Physiology Semester 1: Introduction
Isabelle Menezes
Anatomy and Physiology Semester 1: Introduction
Entrepreneurship
Joshua Navarrete
Law & Order
Mikylla Pascua
Sociology I
Geometry Semester 1
Anatomy and Physiology Semester 1: Introduction
Brandon Smith
Law & Order
Anatomy and Physiology Semester 1: Introduction
Advance with Renton Prep
At Renton Prep, we want to offer our students every chance to succeed in the real world. That’s why we allow our students to learn at their own pace and accelerate when they are ready. Despite COVID-19, we want to make sure that every student is receiving the education they need to do just that.
Contact us today to learn more about our school, educational practices, and innovative environment. Enrollment applications for the 2021-2022 school year are currently open.
